With today being the one-week point of Lindy Ruff becoming the next head coach of the Buffalo Sabres, there has been some discussion about whether or not general manager Kevyn Adams didn't take his time in the hiring process. From the firing of former head coach Don Granato to the hiring of Ruff, it only took Adams six days to hire Lindy.
More from Friedman today:
— The Sabre Report (@TheSabreReport) April 24, 2024
"The coaching search got done in six days. How long have the Ottawa Senators been without a coach? How long have the St. Louis Blues been without a coach?
All you have to do is look at the evidence to say 'this was not an in-depth coaching search.' " pic.twitter.com/7G1jMe0L28
As you can see in the tweet above from The Sabres Report, it seems like Adams knew Lindy was going to be the guy the moment after firing Granato. Judging by recent reports, it sounds like the Sabres didn't interview many candidates.
Friedman: "I don't think the Sabres really contacted anybody, or if they did it was very minimal, or it definitely didn't go down a process.
— The Sabre Report (@TheSabreReport) April 23, 2024
It was very clear that Kevyn Adams made the change, and the change was going to be Lindy Ruff right from the moment it happened."
Oh boy. https://t.co/EkgcmXPyww
While players like Alex Tuch and some of the fanbase love the hiring, you can debate if Kevyn rushed the hiring process without thoroughly interviewing candidates and if they would be the right fit or not. Personally, I was shocked when Buffalo brought back Ruff as the new coach.
If you had to ask me, I would've predicted Craig Berube to be the one who was hired. I think Ruff was a possibility but I didn't think it would actually happen. When it comes to the nostalgia factor, I was amped. Growing up as a kid, the Sabres were one of the best teams in the league and Lindy was in charge.
Fast forward to today, I'm going to wait and see how it plays out before making assumptions. In regards to the hiring process, I can see where fans are coming from. It seems like this could be Adams's final hire and he clearly believes Lindy is the guy.
Time to get started. 😤#LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/VBuoMUp6Bg
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) April 23, 2024
To be honest, I wished Adams would've waited a bit before making a decision. I'm not saying it was a bad hire, but I was hopeful Kevyn interviewed a handful of candidates before deciding. At the end of the day, I believe in Adams but I do think the hiring of Ruff was a bit earlier than some wanted.